By Kevin Gell
ATLANTA – The 1996 Olympic Pool is once again under preparation for another exciting ECC Club Swimming and Diving National Championships hosted by Georgia Tech Swim Club in Atlanta, GA. Reigning champions Colorado-Boulder look to win their fifth consecutive team title. As in previous years, the Buffaloes will face stiff competition from 73 other club teams, bringing the entry total to 1,539 swimmers.
The Florida Gators lead a charge of schools who are chasing the Buffs in the team race. Newcomers Duke and Colorado-Mesa University join Northeastern, Penn State, and University of Virginia as the teams vying for an upset this weekend. Duke comes into the meet lead by backstroker Jacob Johnson looking to capitalize on a strong sprint core to be a contender in both individual and relay events. Colorado Mesa will also be a threat in the relay events, boasting eight of 10 relays seeded within the top five.
With such a deep field this time around, Colorado will have their work cut out for them if they want to keep their team title. On the women’s side, Casey Wilson will combine with Alaina Gossett to lead the Buffaloes against the likes of returning five-time ECC champion Melissa Andruzzi of Illinois as well as strong squads from Florida, Northeastern, and Colorado Mesa University. Wilson and Gossett and combined to win multiple events for Colorado last year, and are seeded to do even more damage in 2015. Look for Andruzzi to repeat as champion in the 200 breaststroke, 200 IM, and 100 and 200 freestyles, as well as contend for the title in the 400 IM.
On the men’s side, the field looks to be led by a trio of returning Gators in Jeff Reardon, Kristof Kertesz, and James Turner. Reardon will try to repeat his performance from last year, when he won the 50 back, 100 back and 100 IM and earned the meet’s best performance award. Kertesz is looking to defend his crown in the 400 IM and will also pose a threat in the breaststroke events this weekend. James Turner is also back after an absence at the 2014 championship. He will look to re-establish himself as the ECC’s top sprinter in the deepest group of sprinters in the meets history. Other returning ECC champions include VT’s Ben Gastrok in the 200 IM and 200 freestyle, Andrew Smiddy of Penn State in the 200 breaststroke, and Ohio’s Andrew Brower in the 50 and 100 breaststroke.
Although most teams are returning to the meet with a strong core of veterans, consider this year’s meet to be highlighted by the newcomers. With a podium finish on the line, it seems like every team has some young guns to help propel them to into scoring contention. Watch for Mia Barone of WCU to challenge Andruzzi for the 200 IM title. OSU hopes to add a champion in Nicole Gill’s 100 butterfly, and Madison Wall of West Virginia looks to hold her top seed in the 100 freestyle. On the men’s side, notable newcomers include distance swimmer Bradley Phillips of Florida and distance/IM specialist David Thornton of Northeastern.
Other names to watch are Duke’s Daniella Saucedo, Ali Wells, Susie Wopat, William Tener, and Daniel Wu, Florida’s Alex Lilley and Melia McMillen, and Kieran Bender and Zach Andregg of Colorado Mesa.
The team race will surely be one of the closest in ECC history. As 1,500 swimmers descend on the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center this Friday, it will be anybody’s meet. The weekend will feature an explosive battle between some of the nation’s best teams. Stay tuned as records fall, champions are crowned, and teams get set to make history at the 2015 ECC National Championship!